Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who pledged not to raise taxes, faces a $99 million deficit. He's cut spending but could use more non-tax revenue. One thing that would help him? Immigration reform.

A 2013 study by the nonprofit Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy found that if Congress passed the sensible immigration passed by the Senate in 2013, undocumented immigrants would pay an additional $2 billion a year in state and local taxes. Connecticut's share would be about $18 million, on top of the $119 million that undocumented residents now pay in property, sales, income and other taxes.

President Obama's executive actions announced this week will help. The measures will allow about 5 million illegal immigrants to remain in this country and work for a living. Most are parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents or young people, called DREAMers, who were brought here as children. The orders focus deportations on, as Mr. Obama said, felons rather than families. And, the orders will make it easier for science and technology students and entrepreneurs to stay in this country.

Only Temporary

But these steps are not permanent. As Mr. Obama said, only Congress can finish the job. What is utterly mystifying is why Congress cannot finish the job. The fundamental point, as true now as it was when impoverished Irish and German immigrants began coming in great numbers in the 19th century, is that most people come here to work. While there are some skilled workers, many who come take the dirty jobs that many Americans don't want.

A good immigration system would tie the number of legal immigrants to the number of available jobs. Immigration expert Tamar Jacoby suggests that U.S. companies should be required to offer jobs to Americans first, but if there are no takers, be able to hire an immigrant quickly and legally. The Senate passed a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration bill 17 months ago that is tough, humane and economically sound. It gives the 11 million immigrants already here a path to citizenship, but not an easy one. They can gain a provisional status: If they work, pay taxes, keep their noses clean —- and pay fines —- they can apply for a permanent residency "green card" after 10 years and citizenship three years later.

It gives agricultural workers and DREAMers an expedited path to green cards and citizenship and it increases the number of high-skilled workers allowed into the country, depending on employer demand. This is a good bill. Shame on House Republicans for failing for pass it, or something like it. If they would like to see how more humane treatment of undocumented immigrants works, they need look no further than Connecticut.

State A Leader

While Congress has fumbled and bumbled on immigration, Connecticut has been a national leader in offering stronger protections and greater rights to the immigrant community.

As The Courant's Gregory Hladky has reported, Connecticut has made it possible in recent years for undocumented immigrant students to qualify for in-state college tuition rates, dramatically reduced the number of immigrants being turned over to federal authorities for deportation (just violent felons), and is in the process of giving immigrants the ability to get drivers' licenses, a process that starts with pre-application next week.

New Haven was one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to provide legal identification cards to immigrant residents. Hartford and New Haven ordered police not to ask about a person's immigration status. The state has stopped honoring detention requests from federal immigration authorities unless a deportation order is accompanied by a warrant signed by a judge or if the person in custody has been convicted of a violent felony.

In short, immigrants here are out of the shadows, where they were often exploited by criminals or abusive bosses. They work and pay taxes. It hasn't done the state any harm, and it would be good for the country as well.